UAE. EY today announced that it has opened a multimillion-dollar MENA Digital Security Operations Center (DSOC), inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Salem Al-Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications of Oman.

The launch of the center is in response to the increased demand for cyber-security services in the region and to solve the most complex cyber problems using machine-learning technology.

Abdulaziz Al-Sowailim, MENA Chairman and CEO, EY, says: “As organizations in MENA become increasingly reliant on digital technologies, they also become more vulnerable to cyber-attacks and digital risk. There is no industry that is immune. All enterprise clients need to move to a form of 24/7 monitoring to protect their digital presence from attack regardless of industry.”

“Our newest cyber center is the first of its kind in the region, serving clients across the Middle East and North Africa. The center allows specialized EY Cyber Analysts to detect and track advanced attackers inside a client’s network and actively monitor an attack throughout its lifespan, providing valuable insights for focused countermeasures and remediation,” continues Abdulaziz.

The EY MENA DSOC, located in Muscat, Oman, leverages its exclusive strategic alliance with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a leader in solving security challenges using technology and cyber analytics, to deliver some of the most advanced behavioral cybersecurity tools available such as the award-winning anomaly detection technology, PathScan. EY and LANL were recently awarded a prestigious global scientific R&D 100 award for the development of this world-leading solution.

The center is the latest addition to EY’s global cybersecurity centers and is part of EY wavespace™, a global EY network of growth and innovation centers to help clients catch the next wave in radical breakthroughs in business transformation by tapping into innovative thinking across EY disciplines, experience and industry sectors.

Clients can now access one of the world’s most advanced cyber technology solutions, delivered as a service through EY’s DSOC on a subscription-based model. The center will have a dedicated focus on the MENA region in respect to its unique challenges and threats.

Clinton Firth, MENA Cybersecurity Leader, EY, says: “Cyberattacks are no longer a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’. Hackers are increasingly relentless. When one tactic fails, they will try another until they breach an organization’s defenses. At the same time, rapid technology adoption is increasing an organization’s vulnerability to attack through increased online presence, broader use of social media, mass adoption of mobile devices, increased usage of cloud services, and the collection and analysis of big data.”

“Traditional security systems are struggling to keep pace as organizations continue to invest in technology that makes their systems more intelligent, automated, and digitally connected. Consequently, there is an increasing need for organizations to embrace a more sophisticated approach to cyber security if they are to remain protected,” concludes Clinton.

EY has integrated PathScan into a technology service that is at the core of providing advanced threat detection. It combines batch and real-time processing, enabling anomaly detection capabilities based on mathematical and statistical modeling.

About EYEY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.

For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

The MENA practice of EY has been operating in the region since 1923. For more than 90 years, we have grown to more than 6,000 people united across 20 offices and 15 countries, sharing the same values and an unwavering commitment to quality.

As an organization, we continue to develop outstanding leaders who deliver exceptional services to our clients and who contribute to our communities. We are proud of our accomplishments over the years, reaffirming our position as the largest and most established professional services organization in the region.

MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

INTERNATIONAL. As our systems will get smarter, so too will our ability to understand their interconnectedness. Imagine the transformative power we could unlock if we could see the cumulative impact of a billion small actions in motion. Could IoT be the hero to save us from ourselves?

INTERNATIONAL. As our systems will get smarter, so too will our ability to understand their interconnectedness. Imagine the transformative power we could unlock if we could see the cumulative impact of a billion small actions in motion. Could IoT be the hero to save us from ourselves?

INTERNATIONAL. As our systems will get smarter, so too will our ability to understand their interconnectedness. Imagine the transformative power we could unlock if we could see the cumulative impact of a billion small actions in motion. Could IoT be the hero to save us from ourselves?

INTERNATIONAL. As our systems will get smarter, so too will our ability to understand their interconnectedness. Imagine the transformative power we could unlock if we could see the cumulative impact of a billion small actions in motion. Could IoT be the hero to save us from ourselves?